Watchdog Report Vol.17 No. 6 June 12, 2016 EST: 05.05.00 – I go when you cannot – Celebrating 16 years of reliable Weekly publishing

>>> The Watchdog Report publisher would like to thank the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation www.knightfoundation.org for funding by the Knight Foundation with technical support from the Knight Center www.knightfoundation.org   to maintain my webpage. The Watchdog Report webpage is free, has no pops-up and is just the news in a mainstream reporting manner.

>>>> The Watchdog Report publisher for 16 years now, has reported back weekly on how your billions of public dollars in local government are being spent. And how to help support me providing this information is at the end of the WDR. And I hope you will consider keeping an independent news service out in our community, where what is going on with all our government entities is of critical benefit for both the public institutions but voters as well. Thank You.

And to my Supporters I pledge to keep ‘going when you cannot.’ And we have about $9 billion in GOB funds being spent through a variety of institutions and that is no small number and in the past I have broken the story on Cuban refugees coming in droves and also the Oriental fruit fly quarantine and its huge economic impact to name just a few of the more recent stories in past WDR’s.

>>> And to support the WDR go to my Pay Pal account at www.watchdogreport.net

>>>And you can now easily support the Watchdog Report by going to my new PayPal Button account, you know you want to do it at www.watchdogreport.net

However, because of fiscal issues I was barely able to publish this week as Miami continues to get more expensive. It is no easy task financially to do the WDR weekly. And years ago the County Ethics Commission did a report that suggested over the past decade some $50 million had been spent fighting waste fraud abuse and public corruption and having the press at public meetings (some very obscure) changes the tone of the meeting (and is why you don’t speed past a state trooper, if you’re smart) Further, I have tried to be an information electrolyte available to all free (and that is a problem) between these large public institutions when I first started back in 1997. And many public meetings back then were not being recorded except by me and that is no longer the case. For an accurate public record is key and diminishes legal action. For you either have an accurate public record or you don’t. And I hope you will consider helping me in this effort to keep the community informed and saving taxpayer monies in the process. For I need your help and Thank you for the past support over the last 17 years. And to read a national story and profile of the WDR publisher in the early years back in 2003 go to: http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2003-01-20/news/0301190045_1_ricker-miami-watchdog

And the credibility I have established over that time of news you can trust without an attitude. And to help me in this quest to keep the community informed can easily be done since I know have PayPal at www.watchdogreport.net and it accepts a host of credit cards and I hope you will consider supporting me allowing to have someone watch over how your public tax dollars are being spent. And few web blogs have the duration and community history as I have given in this effort and has people saying “you were blogging before we even knew what it was,” And I hope I get a decent response so I can get back to what I do best ‘go when you cannot,’ and the Watchdog Report will only return when my fiscal health is in better shape and to any of my past contributors. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. >>> May 5^th was my 17^th Anniversary, and I thank all my supporters and can’t believe it has been that long and hope you will help keep me in the field and reporting back how your public tax dollars are being spent.

ARGUS REPORT – Heard, Seen on the street

>>> Horrific mass shooting at LGBT club Pulse in Orlando stuns the nation, 50 dead dozens wounded, is there a terrorism & ISIS connection?

I woke up today with the horrific massacre in Orlando and has 50 dead and dozens wounded and police are responding and whether the shooter from Afghanistan and a U.S. citizen. Whether this was a hate crime is unknown at the well-known LGBT club in Orlando. However, Sen. Bill Nelson, D Fla. says he is being told by the intelligence community that there might be some “ISIS and terrorism ties,” but that has yet to be confirmed. And a 7:00 p.m., vigil on Miami Beach is being planned tonight at Sound stage Park at 17^th and Washington said WPBT senior political reporter Michael Putney during his show This Week in South Florida after Miami Beach Commissioner Rickey Arriola texted the station and he passed it on. And a massive blood drive is going on in the Orlando area given the mass causalities and surgeons and physicians are dealing with and more is coming out about the shooter Omar Mateen, 29, who entered the PULSE nightclub club with a hand gun and an AR 15 long rifle before he was killed by police. And the wounded should be in our prayers.

>>> Helen Ferre is saying in the media she will not be intimidated by the Dreamers asking her to resign her voluntary post as Chair of Miami-Dade College’s board of trustees and she has been a longtime advocate of the nation’s largest public college system but a petition is also being circulated and being signed. However, she notes she is known to have been a Republican and at one point she was considered by GOV. Charlie Crist as a possible running mate and her name surfaced in the press back in 2006.

>>>> Will Ferre say sayonara to Issues with new gig with GOP, doing Hispanic outreach for the party

However, people are also concerned about her continued role on the Public Broadcast System (PBS) WPBT channel 2 host Helen Ferre of Issues fame. Since she is the new Republican Party Hispanic outreach director for the National Republican Party and in a past WDR. I have noted she spoke for the Jeb Bush campaign and she is a former Gov. Jeb Bush. Appointee to The Miami-Dade College where she has served for years and is the chair of the board for the nation’s largest public college system with some 276,000 students and is an academic sling shot to even greater educational success and I have watched many people start there with no English and then they transfer to a Honors engineering program at FIU and both institutions are critical to South Florida and for more on Ferre’s new job go to:

http://heavy.com/news/2016/06/helen-aguirre-ferre-who-is-republican-national-commitee-hispanic-outreach-communications-director-donald-trump-statement-deleted-tweets/ and on the station’s web page she is still listed but clearly will have to give up her duties at WPBTChannel2.   http://wpbt2.typepad.com/issues/about.html

Ferre

What about the presidential race?

>>>> Well Hillary Clinton has closed the delegate deal and will be the Democratic Party’s challenger and while this historic achievement is being celebrated she still continues to be dogged with trust issues and along with GOP presumptive candidate Donald Trump and both have high unfavorable ratings

And Trump continues to say outrageous things while Hillary Clinton coolly lays out the differences between the two candidates and Trump’s continued attacks one federal judge as incompetent because he is a ”Mexican,” has GOP officials concerned given   the important role Hispanic voters play in a national election in what is expected to be a tight race. And Trump and Clinton both have a trust deficit and it includes both of them which is frustrating to voters since both seem to be liars and it is getting down to who will lie the least and about what as a state Department IG audit was released about Clinton’s private email server and she has been unable to put away independent socialist Bernie Sanders who is betting everything on winning California where large crowds are turning out for the man but Clinton and Trump both lead in unFavorability polls which is different for Sanders who seems genuine to many voters especially millennials.

>>> Obama says presidency serious business, not a “reality show,” in Oval office, as Trump last GOP candidate standing, some plan to boycott party convention

With billionaire Donald Trump being the last man standing after starting the race with 17 other Republican presidential contenders for the GOP nod to be the party’s standard barrier. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Saunders are still battling it out for the Democratic Party nod and Clinton has said she is ready for any of Trump’s “counter punches,” during the race and Trump made another gaffe with Hispanics tweeting out a lunch photo on Cinque de Mayo having a taco bowl and writing he loves Hispanics, but the tweet was criticized as to little and too late after some off his past remarks on the people coming from Mexico being “rapists and drug dealers,” And the Republican leadership is having a hard time embracing the brash and out spoken man who swept the candidate field and is saying his VP would likely be someone from the political world given his neophyte status as a politician. And one Hillary’s attack ads on Sanders was a flop since all the senator talks about is breaking up the big banks and she calls him a single issue candidate https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gndPevAo8Yk and commentators question its effectiveness in her race against the independent socialist.

While the Democrats and GOP are trying to heal and bring their party together in the presidential primaries both parties have a similar problem in that some Republicans are hesitant to support Trump and Democrats supporting Sanders are reluctant with Hillary Clinton as well and social media is once again morphing the political landscape.

And Trump 2.0 is debuting on the campaign trail and the real-estate mogul is saying he will be the most “presidential” person voters have ever seen but Hillary Clinton is already running ads attacking the bombastic man who is calling her dishonest and says he is relishing running against her in November, but he has also been rattling the cage of the GOP establishment questioning whether the primaries are fair and not rigged, even though he has a higher percentage of delegates then he got in votes and many wonder even if he steps back has the damage been done given his high unfavorable. But this presidential cycle is like no other and the role of social media that is getting more mature and larger in scope is bleeding into politics in a way never seen before. And the GOP is shifting its strategy of trying to stop the billionaire’s run for the nomination and are trying to come together something Sanders supporters are finding hard when it comes to Clinton. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gndPevAo8Yk

FLORIDA

>>> After four decades of public service a trailblazer Sen. Margolis Retires, after controversial comment about challengers makes Democratic senate district primary wide open

Press release: After four decades in political office Sen. Gwen Margolis, D-Miami announced she is retiring and withdrew her name in the upcoming August primary. The former senate president was a trailblazer over her storied political career and included pushing the Florida Sunshine and open records Law. That if we did not have I would not have been able to do the WDR. And I got to know her quite well in the 1990s when I went to hundreds of county public meetings. And for more on her remarkable career without a hint of scandal go to: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article83074607.html

Press release: I wanted you to be among the first to know of my decision to no longer seek re-election to the Florida Senate and instead retire in November. Please see the following release from my office.

For Immediate Release

June 9, 2016

Contact: Christian Ulvert

(305) 336-3631

Christian.ulvert@gmail.com

>>> Press release: Longtime Democratic Champion and State Senator Gwen Margolis Announces Retirement from Lifetime of Public Service –Democratic leaders celebrate and honor her legacy of breaking barriers for Floridians

Aventura, Fla. – With a distinguished career of over 40 years in public service, State Senator Gwen Margolis (D-Aventura) today announced her retirement as a state senator. Throughout her history making service, Margolis has earned the well regarded reputation of being a trailblazer in Florida.

“My passion has been to serve the people of Florida and my commitment from day one was to make our community a better place for all,” said Sen. Margolis. “I look back at 40 years of public service with great humility and joy as I reflect on all the work we accomplished to empower people’s lives. It has been a remarkable journey and one that has allowed me to see how our county, state and nation evolved on so many issues.”

Margolis broke the first glass ceiling in 1990 when she became the first woman to lead a state senate. Her time in the Florida Legislature and Miami-Dade County Commission, where she served as chairwoman, has been marked by many successful initiatives and programs, including enshrining in the state constitution, Government in the Sunshine.

Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Allison Tant said, “Senator Margolis shattered glass ceilings in 1990 when she ascended, with the support of her peers, as the first woman to serve as senate president. She set a mark in history that will always be remembered and one that the Democratic Party is forever grateful for. I know she will continue to do great things in her community and her leadership will be missed in the Florida Senate.”

Incoming Senate Democratic Leader Oscar Braynon shared, “Serving with Gwen Margolis has been a true treasure because of her passion to be a fierce advocate for our community. There are few leaders in our state with the leadership and presence like Gwen Margolis and the Florida Senate and Democratic Caucus will always be grateful for her service. I know I will continue to see Gwen lend her passion to important causes in our community of Miami-Dade County.”

Margolis’ campaign consultant, Christian Ulvert stated, “Gwen Margolis has never been afraid to stand up for the values and principles that make us all proud Democrats. She was an early voice in the fight for equality and justice and it’s because of leaders like Gwen that LGBT Floridians today have been able to knock down barriers. She is a role model to many and a friend to all.”

Margolis concluded, “I am guided by the belief that one must leave your community a better place from where you started. Today, I am proud to say that we have done that. The last 40 years have been a blessing because so many milestones and history making moments were reached on behalf of Miami-Dade and Florida. I look forward to the journey ahead as I continue to lend my voice and leadership on issues that will take our community to new heights.”

Margolis’ retirement will come at the end of her term in November.

It has been one heck of a ride and I have enjoyed every minute of it. Thank you for reading my newsletter.   I thank you again for having chosen me to represent you both at home and in Tallahassee. Best regards,

Gwen Margolis

State Senator, District 35

I LOVE HEARING FROM MY CONSTITUENTS

You can reach me:

In the District:                                                At the Capitol:                                                    

Senator Gwen Margolis                                    414 Senate Office Building

3050 Biscayne Boulevard, Suite 600                404 South Monroe Street

Miami, FL 33137                                             Tallahassee, FL 32399-1100

By Phone:

(305) 571-5777                                                 (850) 487-5035

By Email:

Margolis.Gwen.Web@flsenate.gov

My Committees

Regulated Industries, Vice Chair

Appropriations

Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government

Banking and Insurance

Finance and Tax

Fiscal Policy

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY

>>> Are CRA reforms coming, Commissioner Levine Cava and Miami Commissioner Ken Russell want citizen on body, not just elected officials?

Commissioner Daniela Levine Cava pushed for reforms of the Community Redevelopment Authorities (CRA) last Tuesday at the board of county commissioner’s meeting and a she is getting support from newly minted Miami Commissioner Ken Russell. She said she held “18,” different meetings on CRAs and included the OIG and other Interested stakeholders trying to get more transparency and accountability and for them not to be a political slush fund since there creation was to fight slum and blight but oversight controls are weak and since politicians are mostly on the boards Levine Cava wants to have a citizen on CRAs as well and that was recommended in a controversial Grand Jury Report on local CRAs, done by the local state attorney.

OBITUARY

>>>> County Commission Auditor Anderson passes at 58, solid man resisted political pressure, not easy to replace, interim auditor introduced, and CPA worked in office says BCC Chair Jean Monestime

Charles Anderson the first Miami-Dade County commission auditor passed last week from a heart attack and he was a prince of a man in the highly political world of county government and he resisted any efforts to politicize the office that does analysis of legislation and his death just before the new budget is crafted will add a new wrinkle in the process. And Anderson was a welcome addition to county government and my condolences to his family, on his sudden passing. And it was his office that does background checks on any commission appointee and looking for any conflicts of interests with any BCC appointment. http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article82315992.html

>>> As cash builds at JHS commission cannot push unfunded mandates into organization like back in 1999

The County Commission went down memory lane in a discussion of unfunded commission mandates at Jackson Health System that have crippled some past capital projects when in 1999 commissioners shifted some $70 million in expenses into the health trust including paying for the medical care in the county’s jails. And this extra funding at the county helped finance and expand the Cultural Affairs department. And the discussion was based on the organization trying to accumulate a years’ worth of cash on hand that over the years has been as low as only nine days of cash on hand, but with the improved performance JHS is accumulating cash and commissioners don’t want future politicians raiding this money which is essentially what happened years ago. Here is the commission legislation. http://www.miamidade.gov/govaction/legistarfiles/Matters/Y2016/160657.pdf

>>> MPO Smart Plan video just released: http://www.miamidadempo.org/smartplan.asp

>>> The County is asking the VA administration to open a clinic in homestead where the veteran’s population at Homestead Naval Air Base is expanding and the base needs a “flight surgeon,” for the pilots a veterans affairs rep told the BBC.

And Edmonson indicated she was upset with Mayor Carlos Gimenez because he held a community meeting on Liberty City Rising in the district and she was not asked, yet got all the negative blowback, she carped and is not “just a liberty City development,” she closed.

But Regalado will likely use this campaign money against Gimenez saying he has been bought and on Tuesday after a school board Audit Committee she said concerning the last sentence of the poll results says it all, when you try to get something done at the county one quote said was, they ‘treat you like a dog.’ And she believes she can bring in a new perspective and some wonder how she would be given the strong mayor form of government and its 27,000 employees. And her lack of experience with such a massive workforce, though she has had a number of victories including the value Adjustment Board. And for more on the polling go to http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article76606382.html

>>>PAST WDR: Record 15.5 million visitors help pay for JHS, Homeless Trust, the arts

The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau celebrated a record year with 15.5 million visitors coming to South Florida and that is 6.4 percent growth and these people play a key funding role. Since we have a variety of sales taxes for the Homeless Trust, transportation and Jackson Health System, the Adrianne Arsht Center gets convention development taxes and this funding gets ginned up by these visitors and also helps pay for some of the $6 billion debt at MIA.

>>> In China Miami becoming education destination, UM said to have some “1, 000,” students from China, big business at $50,000. Tuition

Commissioner Jose “Pepe” Diaz lead a trade delegation along with the Greater Miami Convention and Visitor Bureau to S. Korea, China and Taiwan and Diaz called it a very successful trade delegation and County staffer Manny Gonzalez said in China especially there is “a shortage of colleges,” and the University of Miami has some “1,000,” students from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and their tuition is around some $50,000 said Gonzalez and Diaz noted “no public funds,” were involved for the trade delegation and it will be seen if Diaz, becomes the county’s sinologist in residence when it comes to the growing Middle Kingdom.

What did FIU President Mark Rosenberg say to the Miami-Dade County Commission about China? CITIZEN’S PRESENTATION BY FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY’S PRESIDENT MARK B. ROSENBERG ON ”OPPORTUNITIES FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COLLABORATION”

Incoming Greater Miami Chamber President Marc Rosenberg, Ph.D. the president of Florida International University (FIU) gave a passionate citizen’s presentation in front of the Miami-Dade Commission and the role the Peoples Republic of China is playing in South Florida and how he believes just as foods are from all parts of South America the community needs to foster the availability of great Asian cuisine if we are to effectively lure a greater number of Asian tourists and a direct flight from Miami is a must and Cathay Pacific is looking at a long distance aircraft for such a flight but is still up in the air. However FIU has an extensive presence in the Middle Kingdom including a school of hospitality in Tianjin and for more on FIU go to www.fiu.edu

>>> MD-C IG publishes 2015 annual report also keeps watch on public schools district,

The Miami-Dade County Office of the inspector General Mary Cagel has issued their 2015 annual report and the Watchdog agency created in 1997 amid numerous scandals also keeps watch of the public schools district and a host of county’s 25 departments including Jackson health system and to read the annual report go to http://www.miamidadeig.org/annualreports/2015AnnualReport.pdf

>>> BCC Joint meeting with Miami-Dade County Youth Commission still highlights number one issue, “violence,” and “bullying in middle schools,” an amazing group of youth, doing a host of activities

And a joint Board of Miami-Dade County Commissioner’s Youth Commission was a breath of fresh air as these high school leaders in committees have begun a host of projects including collecting 500 used AP/ Sat test books, very expensive but highly helpful on the tests. Further another program was handing out of book bags with supplies and working closely with The Children’s Trust of Miami-Dade, trying “to mend the gap with our youth and the police,” said one committee chair and the members wearing Miami-Dade County logo monogramed polo shirts, went to Tallahassee and met with state leaders,” and these future community leaders are an impressive group and in past years when the body met, violence and bullying (with the majority happening in middle schools, said one commission member) were at the top of their list and the civility and quality dialogue gives me hope concerning the leaders of the future. And many of them are going to top notch universities. And these members also worked with the Miami-Dade Community Relations Board and had a anti bullying forum at the Miami Beach Botanical Gardens

And Commissioner Barbara Jordan a former social worker came up with the idea of the Youth commission and chair Jean Monestime said, I am “very proud of the body… and the leadership is second to none,’ he considered during the joint body meeting held in the county commission chambers. During the discussion Jordan said, “I don’t know how you did all these activities,” and suggested working closer with the school board.

>>> Sosa wants to push for film incentives, blocked by state, productions go to Georgia, big economic impact

Film incentives that get vetoed or shot down in the Florida legislature was a hot topic and the county is looking at its own incentive program for movie people are going to Georgia to film and it is costing Miami-Dade millions in local community development revenue. And Commissioners Rebeca Sosa and Jose “Pepe” Diaz want to get the local state legislative delegation together, and also talk to Gov. Rick Scott and Enterprise Florida in a public sunshine meeting in the commission chambers, suggested Sosa last week and see if there was some way to end the stalemate in getting any film incentives money and funding. And the special Miami sun was what “brought the famous Jackie Gleason Show,” to Miami Beach said Diaz and the show put the Beach on the map back in the 1960s.

And who gets to have concessions at MIA had commissioners grilling MIA Director Emilio Gonzalez last week and commissioners Dennis Moss and Barbara Jordan asked if a local Creole restaurant had found a spot and commissioners have been beating on staff in what is a mystical process of becoming a concessionaire at the airport and had Commissioner Rebeca Sosa asking what she can say when asked about getting someone a concession.. Since in all her years on the dais she has never been involved with deals at MIA. And she did not know what to tell a resident, and frankly does not want to get into procurement and she has pushed for procurement reforms at the county and MIA, over her years in office.

Bovo

Sosa

>>> Mayor Gimenez should insist water and sewer repairs on roads should end with a smooth roadway, and be part of a repairs final inspection

Mayor Carlos Gimenez could get a huge number of votes if county contractors doing the $10 to $20 billion in water and sewer repairs on the streets after they dug up the road asphalt that the new asphalt be done so there is a smooth road and not the rough uneven surface the road usually becomes and this is a big deal given the mammoth scope of the upcoming work and any final inspection should include a suitable final road surface for currently the streets are getting badly torn up and is a major complaint that I hear all the time.

>>> And here is what Lester Sola the director of Water and Sewer wrote regarding the matter of the torn up streets, “In response to your recent statement in The Watch Dog Report, I wanted to clarify the process that Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department (WASD) undertakes in relation to paving roadways following construction projects. It is the policy of the department to leave an area better than they found it and to ensure the public’s safety and convenience. Currently, WASD also works with municipalities, local and state utilities/entities that also conduct roadwork to attempt to schedule projects simultaneously in order to minimize repeated cuts and repairs to roadways, as well as to mitigate traffic impacts.

For emergency repairs following an event such as a water main or sewer line break, WASD performs a temporary road repair will allow the roadway to be reopened to traffic. The department then submits a paving request to Miami-Dade County’s Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTPW) for final restoration that is then completed in accordance to Public Work standards. I hope this information is useful to both you and your readership and whether this would be something that you would be inclined to update on your site for your audience. If you have any questions, please contact me,” wrote director sola last week.

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

>>> Pets for Vets and Teaching Responsible Pet Ownership to Kids

Press release: County Commissioners have unanimously adopted two initiatives, sponsored by Commissioner Sosa, to better the lives of Miami-Dade County’s pets. In a move to help connect veterans with pets, Commissioner Sosa advanced legislation that waives adoption and spay/neuter fees for qualifying individuals. This new initiative is meant to give Miami-Dade County’s over 60,000 veterans of war greater access to the health benefits of pet ownership. Recent evidence suggests that bonding with animals greatly reduces stress and the effects associated with PTSD, a condition identified by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs as afflicting the veteran population.

Additionally, Commissioner Sosa filed legislation to expand the Responsible Pet Ownership Curriculum. The incredibly successful program, an initiative sponsored by Commissioner Sosa in 2013, now teaches over 89,000 elementary school students the principles of responsible pet ownership. This new measure seeks additional funding to bring the program to our community’s junior high and high school students.

“I truly believe that our veterans are this community’s greatest source of pride, and I know that they will give our pets warm and loving homes,” said Commissioner Sosa. “We are forever indebted to them for their service and protection of our freedoms.” Continued Commissioner Sosa, “In 2013 when I sponsored the initiative to teach our children the importance of responsible pet ownership I could never have imagined just how great the program would have turned out. It is my hope that we can grow the program to our older students, who can play a larger role in saving animals.”

Pets for Vets legislation: http://www.miamidade.gov/govaction/legistarfiles/Matters/Y2016/160987.pdf

Responsible Pet Ownership Curriculum Expansion legislation:

http://www.miamidade.gov/govaction/legistarfiles/Matters/Y2016/160987.pdf

>>>> Here is the office of the inspector general’s annual report for the nation’s fourth largest public schools district

http://www.miamidadeig.org/2015MDCPS/SB%20ANNUAL%202015%20WEBSITE%20version.pdf And when it comes to oversight there are a number of mechanisms watching over the diverse public schools district and to read the IG report go to http://www.miamidadeig.org/2015MDCPS/SB%20ANNUAL%202015%20WEBSITE%20version.pdf

PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST

>>> BCC selects Dotson, Jr., Dr. Lipoff, and Heffernan as PHT trustees, Dotson is a major county lobbyist

The Miami-Dade County Commission Tuesday voted on the slate of new PHT trustees and trustee William Heffernan was selected for a three year term along with Dr. Irene Lipoff, Ph.D., and prominent attorney Al Dotson, Jr.’, was selected for a two year term on the seven member trust that oversees Jackson Health System (JHS).And Dotson is a Dartmouth College graduate and Vanderbilt’s Law School and is a mover and shaker in the community and is involved in All Aboard Florida and is well known in the halls of Miami-Dade County.

Dotson, Jr.

CITY OF MIAMI

>>> For Mayoral race Francis Suarez has a formable war chest around $1.2 million, yet no credible challenger for upcoming race next year

Miami Commissioner Francis Suarez is raking in the cash for his upcoming mayoral race and he is reporting $591,000 in his campaign coffers and the young real estate attorney wants to follow in his father’s steps also a Miami mayor but his tenure was controversial and in the 1990s had the media calling the father Xavier Suarez ( Mayor Loco) after a few unusual incidents when the father was Miami mayor and Suarez the younger has a young son and has been pushing a strong mayor form of government, at the Charter Review Committee but when that was last discussed on the dais commissioners had concerns that it put too much power in one person and that some parts of the city would be neglected or open to punishment by a strong mayor and given Miami’s political history stability is not at the top of the list when it comes to past leadership. Where over a few months period Miami went through ten city managers back then and for more on the Suarez mayoral race go to: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article83159287.html

And no significant challenger is emerging and the son will likely cruise to a victory given that his father is also a Miami-Dade County Commissioner and he has strong name reconition in the community. The son says he has matured after a previous run for mayor in 2013 flamed out after a scandal. And he ended his campaign after a staffers home was raided by police and he blamed it on his inexperience but the man is older and hopefully has the temperament to be an effective mayor and Suarez is vice chair of the MPO a regional transportation body at the County.

>>> Upcoming Sea Level Solution meetings-Please see the following list of upcoming events this month, more details for which can be found on our Sea Level Solutions Center (SLSC) Events Calendar.

Tomorrow (Friday, June 3), an information session will be held at 2pm in the Miami Beach City Hall 4th Floor (City Manager’s Large Conference Room), to discuss a Grant Opportunity for Environment and Sustainability.

The City of Miami Sea Level Rise Committee will next meet on Tuesday (June 7), at 6 PM in the Miami City Hall Commission Chambers. Hope to see you there!

And on the following Saturday (June 11), the 14^th Annual Fishing Tournament and Dock Party will take place at Shake A Leg Miami. The Dock Party is open to the public at 3:30pm and features food, music and activities. There will be activities for all ages. Join the fun for a good cause, and register here!

Last but not least, the FIU School of Journalism and Mass Communication (SJMC) is proud to present work done by undergraduate students in a recent Spring Visual Storytelling course that contributed to the FIU Digital Commons, by curating research, storytelling, art, and communication related to work on sea level rise conducted by FIU faculty, students, and staff. Their project is titled, “Submerging the Sunshine: Explore Sea Level Rise in South Florida” and categorizes stories of rising seas into four main narratives that highlight FIU’s work on this pressing issue.

Some of the media captured, digitized, and archived for this project includes what’s been published on eyesontherise.org and work conducted in other units at FIU. Students in this course were introduced to cultural themes of visual communication, museums, and libraries. Through practical application and collaboration, they created digital narratives, using the content that is already in – and that was added to – the collections to make the archives approachable and sharable for wider audiences.

But they are not done, and THEY NEED YOU:

As you can see, there are several units represented, but a lot may be missing. Please help to promote this project for its potential for interdisciplinary curricular integration, and feel free to contribute work to this collection, which can be as easy as emailing a PDF, URL, or other file (even if some things aren’t captured, they can help with that, too)! Contact Jamie Rogers (rogersj@fiu.edu) or Dr. Robert Gutsche Jr. (rgutsche@fiu.edu) for more information, or to add the work of your units or recommend others.

As always, you can visit our SLSC website for more info, or email us (slsc@fiu.edu) with any questions and/or recommendations for other events to include.

Thank you,

Brad Schonhoff

Communications Coordinator

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2015/11/francis-suarez-sworn-into-office-makes-case-for-new-miami.html an here is a video of Miami PD doing the running man challenge very funny especially the end and has 179,000 views as of last week.https://twitter.com/wsvn/status/731197152110616576

CITY OF MIAMI BEACH

>>>> Mayor Philip Levine, attorney and Mgr. Jimmy Morales, takes the Miami Herald executive editor to task on a story concerning the new large pumps the city installed to remove water from the streets and below is the letter send to Aminda-Gonzalez
Last week, my fellow Commissioners and I instructed the City Manager and Attorney to respond to the Miami Herald’s misleading and damaging May 16th article regarding king tides and our flood mitigation system. The following letter was sent to the Executive Editor of the Miami Herald: http://bit.do/LetterTo-Aminda-Gonzalez

We took this step because the article misrepresented the facts about our City’s efforts to address flooding and protecting the environment and caused undue challenges to our commitment to maintain public health and safety.

Further, the inaccuracies in the article wrongly paints a picture for our visitors and residents which could harm our City’s vibrant tourism economy and reduce public confidence in our anti flooding mitigation measures.

The fact is the City’s waters remain swimmable and meet the requirements of our National Pollution Discharge Elimination System as prescribed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection.

My colleagues and I appreciate that protecting our bay is critically important and an issue that affects the broader South Florida community. It is imperative that our community receives accurate and truthful information and is able to continue leading by example for the benefit of all. Thank you, Mayor Philip Levine.

CITY OF OPA-LOCKA

>>> Gov. Scott selects Opa-Locka financial emergency board for financially troubled city

Press release: Governor Rick Scott selected members to serve on a financial emergency board to help assist the City of Opa-locka during their financial emergency. The advisory board will oversee the activities of the City of Opa-locka and will be led by Florida’s Chief Inspector General Melinda Miguel. Last week, Governor Scott issued an executive order declaring a financial emergency in the City of Opa-locka. To view Executive Order 16-135, click HERE.

The advisory board will include:

Melinda Miguel – Florida Chief Inspector General, Executive Office of Governor Rick Scott

Christian Weiss – Policy Coordinator, Executive Office of Governor Rick Scott

Kim Mills – Director of Auditing, Florida Housing Finance Corporation

Andrew Collins – Chief of Financial Monitoring and Accountability, Florida Department of Economic Opportunity

Angela Knecht – Program Administrator, Florida Department of Environmental Protection

Marie Walker – Director of Auditing, Florida Department of Revenue

J.D. Patterson, Jr. – Former Director of the Miami-Dade Police Department (Retired)

Vernita Nelson – Assistant City Manager, City of Miami Gardens

Frank Rollason – City Manager, North Bay Village

If you have any questions, please contact the Governor’s Press Office at (850) 717-9282 or media@eog.myflorida.com.

COMMUNITY EVENTS

http://www.margulieswarehouse.com/index.php#/exhibitions

>>> And the Margulies Warehouse will be closing the season in weeks and to see what art is on display and when it plans to close the season for this community treasure go to http://www.margulieswarehouse.com/#/home

EDITORIALS

>>> Public institutions Collaboration must be our goal if South Florida to reach its greatness

Collaboration should be Miami-Dade’s watchword for we are too big with too many challenges to go it alone and are public institutions need to work together, like the children’s Trust did recently and helped create some over 3,000 summer jobs with assistance of the county and public schools district but with the limited resources it is important every tax dollar is used effectively and tax payers are getting there, money worth of these precious and scarce money. And this working together includes the 34 municipalities that many times signore what be the common good an generally just produces more traffic and chaos since from the homeless population to many other issues there are no boundaries and what happens in one part of Miami-Dade impacts somewhere else for 1.6 million residents are essentially on a ship and we have to learn to for our public institutions to learn and work together. If we are to attain the greatness South Florida can be while maintaining our environment.

>>> Congrats to Miami Herald for runner –up Pulitzer for investigative story ‘License to Launder,’ highlights how critical investigative stories are to a community

The Miami Herald being a finalist for a Pulitzer Prize highlights the importance of in depth investigative reporting and while the Watchdog Report has not reached that depth over the past 16 years I have put a light to many government activates from Jackson Hospital to the city of Miami that once went through 10 mangers in a few months and arrests were becoming rampant. And back in 1998 it looked bleak an someone from the public needed to step forward especially after a major political operative said to me “You little people we are going to crush you,” and I thought the public needed someone to look after their interests and the introduction of the internet gave me that opportunity as well as being an editorial and news columnist for The Miami Herald an experience that cannot be described unless you experienced it and here we are today and May 5, 2016 will be my anniversary and hope with my readers help to continue on but I do need financial help and to read what the early years were like go to and I know your hard earned money is sacred. I hope you will honor me with your trust news you can trust without the attitude and my best to all my friends who have supported me. And to read a national story on the early years go to: http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2003-01-20/news/0301190045_1_ricker-miami-watchdog

>>> One of Watchdog Report’s main missions is to keep watch on all the host of Trust’s in Miami-Dade and these organizations involve some serious public money in the billions

Residents in Miami-Dade County periodically ask why I cover all the trust’s found in the county, from the Children’s Trust to the Public Health Trust to the County’s Homeless Trust and it is because elected county leaders are always looking for new funds and while the raids of these public dollars periodically occurs like in the case of the Citizens Independent Transit Trust where the county is slowly paying back the sales tax dollars absorbed by the county’s transit system in what was called “unification,” by county leaders

But the Public Health Trust was also raided back in 20002 when county commissioners shifted some $ 70 million in unfunded mandates on to organization and that cost has risen to over $100 million a year and was one of the reasons the Public health trust needed a $830 million GOB passed overwhelmingly by voters a few Years back to upgrade its infrastructure and ageing main campus

After this past money was diverted over a decade by the County commission that does provide some $250 million in public funds for a maintenance of effort contribution. But in Miami-Dade where everything is political. I keep watch so that these organizations are kept whole and politics is kept to a minimum and this oversight helps keep the organizations on the straight and narrow when it comes to public dollars and it is no small amount of money and helps explain why there have been so few scandals in the past that plagued the county back in the 1990’s and was a frequent topic in the media.

LETTERS

>>> A Reader on danger of yellow pole barriers on 195, and sign petition asking FDOT to modify polls https://www.change.org/p/florida-department-of-transportation-change-i95-plastic-poles-to-unable-movement-in-and-out-of-the-express-lanes

>>> Great story on the Pets’ Trust.  I’d love to speak with you and tell you more.  You are right…..it will be an issue in the Mayor’s race.  

Please watch this…      Pets’ Trust…the Story    password is     movie

And read this……..  http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/op-ed/joe-cardona/article2087823.html

Michael Rosenberg

President Pets’ Trust

Rita Schwartz Cofounder

>>> And another reader sent the following the shocking truth about Miami-Dade Animal Services, http://www.animalliberationfront.com/ALFront/Actions-USA/MiamiAnimalServices.htm http://www.examiner.com/article/questions-about-fatal-mauling-by-group-of-dogs-miami-dade-county

DR

Coconut Grove

>>> The Watchdog Report is Celebrating 17 years of weekly publishing since May 5^th 2000 and when I started back then I never thought I would be doing this so

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2003-01-20/news/0301190045_1_ricker-miami-watchdog. And while I have taken a licking over the years including some medical issues I have kept at the job thanks to my supporters who I thank so very much over the many years. And the community’s public institutions are better when it comes to them knowing what the other is doing and why I have tried to be an information electrolyte for these giant institution’s leaders and things and here is a national story done on why I started to watch government back in 2000 http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2003-01-20/news/0301190045_1_ricker-miami-watchdog and to all the people along the way that have helped me I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Publisher’s Statement on the mission of the Watchdog Report and the special people and organizations that make it possible:  Government Subscribers/Corporate Subscribers/Sustaining Sponsors/Supporting Sponsors

***** LIFETIME FOUNDING MEMBERS & Initial sponsors since 2000

>>> LIFETIME FOUNDING MEMBERS & INITIAL SPONSORS IN 2000

ANGEL ESPINOSA – (Deceased) owner COCONUT GROVE DRY CLEANER’S

HUGH CULVERHOUSE, Jr

FLORIDA POWER & LIGHT www.fpl.com .

THE MIAMI HERALD www.miamiherald.com (2000-2008)

ARTHUR HERTZ

WILLIAM HUGGETT, Seamen Attorney (Deceased)

ALFRED NOVAK

LINDA E. RICKER (Deceased)

JOHN S. and JAMES L. KNIGHT FOUNDATION www.knightfoundation.org

THE HONORABLE STANLEY G. TATE

>>> Watchdog Report supporters – $2,000 a year

Mr. NORMAN BRAMAN http://www.bramanmotorcars.com/dealership/normanbraman.htm

BADIA SPICES www.badiaspices.com

RONALD HALL

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY www.miamidade.gov

UNITED WAY OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY www.unitedwaymiamidade.org

>>> Watchdog Report supporters – $1,000 to $5,000 a year

COLSON HICKS EIDSON, PA www.colson.com

Badia Spices www.badiaspices.com

BERKOWITZ POLLACK BRANT Advisors and Accountants www.bpbcpa.com

JEFFREY L. BERKOWITZ TRUST

RON BOOK

LINDA MURPHY: Gave a new laptop in Oct. 2001 to keep me going.

WILLIAM PALMER www.shutts.com

Rbb PUBLIC RELATIONS www.rbbpr.com

ROYAL MEDIA PARTNERS www.royalmp.com

SHUBIN & BASS www.shubinbass.com

WILLIAMSOM AUTOMOTIVE GROUP http://williamsonautomotivegroup.com/

>>> Public, Educational & Social institutions – subscribers at $1,000 or less

CAMILLUS HOUSE, INC. www.camillushouse.org

CITY OF MIAMI www.miamigov.com.

CITY OF CORAL GABLES www.coralgables.com

CITY OF MIAMI BEACH www.miamibeachfl.gov

CHAPMAN PARTNERSHIP FOR HOMELESS www.chapmanpartnership.org

FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY www.fiu.edu

THE STATE OF FLORIDA www.myflorida.gov

GREATER MIAMI CHAMBER OF COMMERCE www.miamichamber.com

GREATER MIAMI CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU www.miamiandbeaches.com

HEALTH FOUNDATION OF SOUTH FLORIDA www.hfsf.org

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY COMMISSION www.miamidade.gov

MIAMI-DADE COMMISSION OFFICE OF THE CHAIR www.miamidade.gov

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY ETHICS & PUBLIC TRUST COMMISSION

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY HOMELESS TRUST: www.miamidade.gov/homeless/

MIAMI-DADE COLLEGE www.mdc.edu

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY INSPECTOR GENERAL www.miamidade.gov/ig

MIAMI-DADE PUBLIC SCHOOLS BOARD www.dadeschools.net

MIAMI-DADE PUBLIC SCHOOLS SUPT. http://superintendent.dadeschools.net/

MIAMI DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY www.miamidda.com

PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST & JACKSON HEALTH SYSTEM www.jhsmiami.org

THE BEACON COUNCIL www.beaconcouncil.com

THE CHILDREN’S TRUST www.thechildrenstrust.org

THE GOOD GOVERNMENT INITIATIVE http://goodgov.net/

THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY LEAGUE OF CITIES www.mdclc.org

THE MIAMI FOUNDATION www.miamifoundation.org

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA http://www.firstgov.gov/

UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI www.miami.edu

>>> Public, Educational & Social institutions – subscribers at $1,000 or less

CAMILLUS HOUSE, INC. www.camillushouse.org

CITY OF MIAMI www.miamigov.com.

CITY OF CORAL GABLES www.coralgables.com

CITY OF MIAMI BEACH www.miamibeachfl.gov

CHAPMAN PARTNERSHIP FOR HOMELESS www.chapmanpartnership.org

FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY www.fiu.edu

THE STATE OF FLORIDA www.myflorida.gov

GREATER MIAMI CHAMBER OF COMMERCE www.miamichamber.com

GREATER MIAMI CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU www.miamiandbeaches.com

HEALTH FOUNDATION OF SOUTH FLORIDA www.hfsf.org

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY COMMISSION www.miamidade.gov

MIAMI-DADE COMMISSION OFFICE OF THE CHAIR www.miamidade.gov

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY HOMELESS TRUST: www.miamidade.gov/homeless/

MIAMI-DADE COLLEGE www.mdc.edu

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY COMMISSION ON ETHICS and PUBLIC TRUST www.ethics.miamidade.gov  

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY INSPECTOR GENERAL www.miamidade.gov/ig

MIAMI-DADE PUBLIC SCHOOLS BOARD www.dadeschools.net

MIAMI-DADE PUBLIC SCHOOLS SUPT. http://superintendent.dadeschools.net/

MIAMI DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY www.miamidda.com

PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST & JACKSON HEALTH SYSTEM www.jhsmiami.org

THE BEACON COUNCIL www.beaconcouncil.com

THE CHILDREN’S TRUST www.thechildrenstrust.org

THE GOOD GOVERNMENT INITIATIVE http://goodgov.net/

THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY LEAGUE OF CITIES www.mdclc.org

THE MIAMI FOUNDATION www.miamifoundation.org

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA http://www.firstgov.gov/

UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI www.miami.edu

>>> Publisher’s Statement on the mission of the Watchdog Report and the special people and organizations that make it possible:  Government Subscribers/Corporate Subscribers/Sustaining Sponsors/Supporting Sponsors the Watchdog Report covers a few of the meetings attended weekly. It remains my belief that an informed public will make better decisions. Therefore, I go to meetings, make the presence of an informed citizen known, and bring the information to you.   The Watchdog Report is in the fourth year of publication and it has been an honor to be able to send this information to you. It is sent to readers in Miami-Dade, Florida, the U.S. and the world. The Watchdog Report is sent to thousands free and while readers have been prodded to subscribe the results have been mixed. Over 250 reports and Extras have been sent since May 5, 2000 and over one million words have been written on our community’s governments and events.  The report is an original work based on information gathered at public meetings, interviews and from documents in the public domain. I welcome letters via e-mail. Letters may be edited for length or clarity and must refer to material published in the Watchdog Report.  Please see address and contact information. Please send any additions and corrections by e-mail, fax or snail mail. All corrections will be published in the next Watchdog Report. If you or your organization would like to publish the contents of this newsletter, please contact me. Please send your request to watchdogreport1@earthlink.net

Daniel A. Ricker

Publisher & Editor

Watchdog Report

Est. 05.05.00

Copyright © of original material, 2016, Daniel A. Ricker

>>> The Miami Herald and Orlando Sentinel & Sun-Sentinel articles on the Watchdog Report publisher over the years.

Published on September 9, 1999, Page 1EA, Miami Herald, the (FL)

CITIZEN ADVOCATE’ KEEPS TABS ON POLITICIANS

Published on January 3, 2000, Page 1B, Miami Herald, the (FL)

MIAMI-DADE WATCHDOG WILL BE MISSED

Published on January 20, 2003, Page 1E, Orlando Sentinel, PAPERWORK TIGER, Miami’s citizen watchdog piles up government files in his quest to keep the “little people” informed. http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2003-01-20/news/0301190045_1_ricker-miami-watchdog

>>>Watchdog Report publisher named ‘Best Citizen’ 2003 by the Miami New Times

The publisher would like to thank the weekly alternative paper Miami New Times for bestowing their 2003 Best of Miami, ‘Best Citizen’ award to me and I am honored.  Thank you. To read the full story go to http://www.miaminewtimes.com/best-of/2003/people-and-places/best-citizen-6399517

>>> General subscriber’s names will not be published in the Report. To subscribe to the Watchdog Report please use the form below as a subscription invoice.

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